Rod bending apparatus



Dec. 12, 1939. P. COTTER AL 2,183,329

ROD BENDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Bare/ck J.CUTTER Wear 5 v/va/ae/o INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Dec. 12, 1939. P. J. COTTERET AL 2,183,329

ROD BENDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAECYfla/vax-ve/o INVENTORS rflazzk' M ATTORNEYS atented 12, 1939 puns!)STATES ROD BENDING APPARATUS rim-ion r. Cotter, Long mans city, and-Marcy iD'Onofrio, Richmond Hill,'N. Y.

Application February 15, 1939, Serial No. 256,45

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in rod bending apparatus andmorespecifically to apparatusfor manually bending rods for use in thereinforcement of concrete structures.

.In reinforced concrete construction, it is the practice to supportreinforcing rods upon the i1 beams, and to form "drops in the length ofthe rod to be disposed between adjacent beams. It has been the generalpractice in the past to manually bend the rod by guesswork and whichrequires the services of a number of operators in the bending of asingle red. It is therefore the main purpose of this invention toprovide an apparatus, by the'use of which, a rod may be acl curatelybent by a single operator.

Another important feature of the invention resides in rod bendingapparatus which may be set up for use on the premises -of the concretestructure to be erected to bend the reinforcing 2o rods to meet thestructural specifications of the particular job as the constructionoperationsprogress. I

Another feature of the invention is to provide a rod bending apparatuswherein the bends imparted to a reinforcing rod are uniform to assurethe forming of the drops of uniform depths throughout the length of therod.

A'further feature of the invention is the provision of'a rod bendingapparatus which may be set to form different length bends in areinforcing rod, whereby to vary the depth of the "drop" to meet thespecifications called for on a particular job. A still further featureof the invention is the provision of a reinforcing rod bending apparatuswhich is simple and inexpensive of construction, which requires aminimum amount of effort on the part of an operator to effect a bendingof a rod; and which-greatly speeds up the bending of the rods over pastmethods, thus saving time and labor costs. 1

With these and-other objects in view, the invention resides in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential fea-46 tures of which are hereinafter fully described in the followingspecification, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, andare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view broken away intermediate its ends, andillustrating the manner in which a hook is bent at one end'of areinforcing Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating themanner in which the first angular 55 bend is formed in a reinforcingrod.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view with the angular stop memberplaced in position with the first angular bend of the rodin abutting en-Easement therewith.

' Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the 5 final bend in theforming of the second p" a in a reinforcing rod.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of therod bending tool. p

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view on the line6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an adjustable bending tool which maybe used in connection with the apparatus, the adjustable jaw beingillustrated in separated position in full lines and in operativeposition in dot and dash lines.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view throughthe head of the tool shown in Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified go form of bending tool.

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view through several I beams showing abentreinforcing rod supported thereby.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary top plan view show-- g5 ing the use of theauxiliary rail for forming a shallow "drop in a rod.

Referring to the drawings by reference char acters, the numeral Iiidesignates a fiat table or work bench made of wood and which may be ofany width within the limit of the maximum depth of the drop to be formedin the bending of a steel reinforcing rod-to be used on a particularreinforced concrete construction job. I The table II! is of a lengthapproximating the length of the 3 rod to be bent so that the rod'may bebent at spaced distances throughout its length without disturbing theposition of the rod upon the table. The table ill includes a fiat top ilsupported by legs l2 of a length to conveniently position the 40 top Iirelatively to the height of an average operator.

Flxedly supported upon the table top Hand extending lengthwiseinwardly'of the front longitudinal edge thereof are a pair of spacedparallel angle rails i3 and H, which extend from the left end of thetable to apoint short of the right end thereof. The rail I3 includesayhorizontal base flange l5 which fits against the table top H andextends in a rearward direction, and an upstanding flange IS. The baseflange l5 has spaced openings I1 therealong through which fasteningscrews l8 pass into the wood top H. The rail l3 may be termed afixedrail by reason of its screw fastening elements, whereas the sis rail Ilmay be termed an adjustable or removable rail by reason of its fasteningelements now to be explained.

The rail It includes a horizontal base flange I! which extends towardthe front of the table top and an upstanding flange 20. The base flangell is provided with spaced openings 2| through which nails 22 pass intothe table top II. .By reason of the nail fastening means for the railll, it is possible to-pry the same up and readjust it in parallelrelation to the rail l3 when the depth of the drop to be bent into a rodexceeds the original adjusted relation of the rails. However, it ispossible to employ auxiliary rail members in conjunction with the twofixed rails l3 and H to effect the bending of a shallower drop in therod without disturbing the original maximum adjustment of the rails, aswill be hereinafter explained.

Fixedly mounted in close spaced relation to the right end of the rail I3is a relatively short angle rail member 23 which is secured to the tabletop H by screws 24. The space between the adjacent upstanding flanges ofthe rail I3 and rail member 23 is such as to freely receive thethickness or cross sectional diameter of the rod to be bent.

The rod bending apparatus also includes a bending tool 25 whichcomprises an elongated handle 26 having an inverted U shaped jaw 21welded to one end thereof. The jaw 21 is of a length approximating thelength of the bend to be formed in a reinforcing rod, and the channel orspace between the walls of the jaw is such as to freely receive thecross sectional area of the rod to be bent. The free end of the handlehas a tubular socket 28 welded thereto.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated the first step of areinforcing rod bending. operation, wherein a straight reinforcing rod Ais placed lengthwise on the table top ll fiat against the inner side ofthe upstanding flange ii of the rail lit. The right end of the rod A isshown extended beyond the right end of the rail [3 and rail member 23 tofacilitate the bending of an anchor hook on one end of the rod. A row ofguage markers 29 is provided on the table top beyond the outer end ofthe rail member 23 which are indicative of inches to facilitate thelining up of the end of the rod to measure the length of the bill of thehook to be formed. After lining up the right end of the rod A. theoperator inserts the socket 28 of the tool 25 onto the said end of therod with the jaw end of the tool open side up. The operator manuallyswings the tool 25 in a rearward direction as shown by the dottedposition of the tool in Figure 1. The tool is swung until the bill ofthe hook B is substantially parallel to the length of the rod, and therounded bend is formed by the rod being fulcrumed on the right end ofthe rail I3.

After the hook B has been formed, the rod A is turned forward a halfturn to cause the hook B to hookingly engage the rail member 23 as shownin Figure 2 of the drawings. The rod A is now in position to receive thefirst bend to form a drop" and arranged along the table top H adjacentthe inner side of the rail l3 are spaced rows of guide markers 30 whichmay be in the form of nails driven into the table top H. The operatornow applies the tool 25 to the intermediate portion of the rod A withthe open side of the Jaw down over the rod. The end of the jaw 21 islined up with a particular one of the guide markers of the right endgroup depending upon the distance at which the first "drop" is to beformed from the hook B. With the jaw 21 fitted over the rod A and thehandle -26 extending forwardly, the operator turns the handle from leftto right and the swinging movement of the tool is limited by reason ofthe ends of the jaw abutting the inner sides of the rails l3 and II asshown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The length of the jaw 21 isproportionate to the distance between the rails l3 and I4, so that whenthe tool reaches the limit of its turning movement, the bent portionforms an angular leg C which is approximately disposed at a forty-fivedegree angle with respect to the straight unbent portions of the rod.After the bending of the first leg of the first drop" in the rod, theoperator removes the tool and places an angle rail stop member 3| uponthe table against which the angular leg portion C abuts. The stop member3| is removably secured by a pair of pins 32 which pass through openingsin the base flange of the anglerail stop member and enter anycorresponding pair of openings 33 provided in the table top II. Theopenings 33 are arranged in two rows to facilitate adjustment of thestop member 3| and when in anchored position, the stop member assumes anangular position corresponding to the angular position of the bent legportion C so as to flatly engage said leg portion as best seen in Figure3.

Having formed the first bend in the rod to form the leg portion C of thefirst drop and positioned the leg portion C against the stop member 3|,the operator may now proceed to successively make the other bends atspaced distances throughout the remaining length of the rod. To completeone "drop the operator applies the tool to the left the requiredmeasured distance from the lower bend in the leg portion C, it beingnoted that the portion of the rod to which the tool is applied is nowdisposed against the inner side of the front rail l4. Guide markers 34are arranged in spaced relation on the table top adjacent the inner sideof the rail H to enable the lining up of the jaw to the tool 25 whenmaking up-bends now to be explained. With the tool 25 properlypositioned over the rod with the rod in the jaw 21, and the handle 26extending forward, the operator manually turns the handle towardthe'left until the ends of the jaw abut the inner sides of the rails l3and H whereupon the second angular leg portion D of the "drop is formedand which leg portion D is also disposed at an approximately forty-fivedegree angle relative to the length of the rod. The leg portions C and Dare joined by a bridge portion E, and these portions combined form a"drop F of a particular width and depth, depending upon thespecifications of a particular reinforced concrete construction job. Anynumber x of like drops F may be formed at spaced distances along thelength of the rod A, but we have only illustrated two in the drawings.

After a rod A has been bent throughout its length to provide the desirednumber of drops F, it is supported by clips G (Figure 10) upon the Ibeams H of a structural steel framework, the hook end B being hookinglyengaged with a reinforcing rod J disposed at right angle to the rod A.The two drops F are of uniform depth but in some instances it is desiredthat the "drops in a single rod be of different depths. We havetherefore provided a means for bending a shallower "drop withoutdisturbing the original adjusted position of the fixed rails ll rightwhen making and H as shown in Figure ll of the drawings in full linesand in dotted lines in Figure 1.

To shorten the depth of the "drop, auxiliary rail members ll inwardly ofand adjacent the rail I! at locations thereon where the bends are to beformed. The auxiliary rail members are held in position parallel to therails l3 and I4 by removable pins holes 31 in the table top. Theauxiliary railmembers 35 coact with the rail 13 instead of the rail l4,and the rail 13 and rail members are abutted by the ends of the jaw 21of the tool 25, although a tool havinga shorter length jaw is used, forit is the length of the jaw which determines the depth of the drop andthe angle of the bend.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that after thehook B is formed on one end of the rod A and the rod is turned to causethe hook B to engage the rail member 23, that the rod A is held againstaccidental shifting 'movement toward the left when making 36 which enterdown-bends in the rod, the stop member 3| with which the first down-bendabuts, acts to prevent ac'cidental shifting of the rod toward theup-bends.

In Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings, we have illustrated an adjustabletool 38 which may be used for bending rods of various cross sectionaldimensions. The tool 38 includes a fiat head 39 which has a dependingfixed jaw 40. The head 39 has an internally screw threaded socket 6|welded thereon which receives the threaded end of a tubular handle 42made up of a plurality of different diameter pipe sections 42' whichgradually diminish in diameter outwardly from the head 38. By separatingor connecting the handle sections, the same may be selectively broughtinto use as a socket for bending the hook on the ends of rods ofdifierent cross sectional dimensions.

The head 39 has three spaced elongated slots d3 which respectivelyreceive three guide pins d4 extending upwardly from the horizontalflange 45 of an adjustable angle jaw member 56. The standard crosssectional dimensions of reinforcing rods for concrete construction arestandardized as A", and A", and We have provided for these three fixedadjustments by arranging two converging rows of unthreaded bolt openings61 in the head 39, any corresponding two of which may be brought intoregistration with two related threaded openings of the six threadedopenings 48 in the horizontal flange 45.

- A pair of bolts 49 pass through the pairs of alined openings i'l and33 and have threading connection with openings 38 to secure theadjustable jaw member QB in a fixed position relative to the fixed jaw50. After adjusting the jaw member lfB to a fixed position toaccommodate a particular diameter of rod, the tool 38 is used in thesame manner as the tool 25.

InFigure 9, a modified form of tool 50 is illustrated and which includesa fiat head 5i welded to one 'end of a handle 52. A socket 53 is weldedto the upper side of the handle at the free end are placed upon'thetable top pended claims The space between the'pins 64 determines thelength of the bend to be formed in a rod.

While we have shown and described what we consider to be the preferredembodiments of our invention, we wish it to be understood that suchchanges as comewithin the scope of the apmay be resorted to if desired.

Having thus claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent ofthe'United States, is:

1. Apparatus for the bending of reinforcement rods for use in connectionwith concrete constructions comprising in combination, an elongated ta--ble; a pair of spaced parallel rails fixed lengthwise to the tableagainst the inner side of one of which a rod to be bent is adapted to beplaced; means on said table adjacent the end of one of said railsadapted to cooperate therewith in holding a rod while one end thereof isbeingbent, and said means also serving to engage the bent and of a rodfor arresting shifting movement of the rod in one direction while makinga second bend intermediate the ends thereof; a bending tool having a rodreceiving jaw of greater length than the distance between the railswhereby an angular second bend may be made in a rod of a lengthapproximating that of the jaw when a rod is gripped'in the jaw and thebending tool is turned until the ends of the jaw abut the rails and aremovable stop member mounted on said table between said rails andextending angularly relative thereto at an angle corresponding to theangle of the second bend formed in a rod and against which the angularsecond bend is adapted to abut to arrest shifting movement of a rod inthe opposite direction so as to hold a rod' described the invention,what we v against lengthwise shifting movement during the.

formation of subsequent bends inthe rod.'

2. Apparatus for the bending of reinforcement rods for use in connectionwith concrete constructions comprising in combination; an elongatedtable; a pair of spaced parallel rails fixed lengthwise to the tableagainst the inner side of one of which a rod to be bent is adapted to beplaced; means on said table adjacent the end of one of said railsadapted to cooperate therewith in holding a rod while one end thereof isbeing bent, and said means also serving to engage the bent end of a rodfor arresting shifting movement of the rod in one direction while makinga second bend intermediate the ends thereof; a bending tool includingspaced coextensive jaw members providing a jaw receiving channeltherebetween, the length of the jaw members being greater than thedistance between the rails whereby an angular second bend may be made ina rod of a length approximating that of the jaw members when a rod isgripped in the channel between the jaws and the bending tool is turneduntil the ends of the jaw members abut the rails; and a removable stopmember mounted on said table between said rails and extending angularlythereto at an angle corresponding to the angle of the second bend formedin a rod and against which the angular second bend is adapted to abut toarrest shifting movement of a rod in the opposite direction so as tohold a rod against lengthwise shifting movement during the formation ofsubsequent bends in the rod.

3. Apparatus for bending of reinforcement rods for use in connectionwith concrete constructions comprising in combination; an elongatedtable; a pair of spaced parallel rails fixed lengthwise to the tableagainst the inner side of one of which a rod to be bent is adapted to beplaced;

means on said table adjacent the end of one of said rails adaptedtocooperate therewith in holding a rod while one end thereof is beingbent, and said means also serving to engage the bent end of a rod forarresting shifting movement oi the rod in one direction while making asecond bend intermediate the ends thereof; a bending tool having a rodreceiving jaw of greater length than the distance between the railswhereby an angular second bend may be made in a rod of a lengthapproximating that of the jaw when a rod is gripped in the jaw and thebending tool is turned until the ends 01 the jaw abut the rails;

an auxiliary rail member of less length than the rails and positionedbetween the rails in parallel spaced relation thereto adapted to form anabutment for a rod being bent in a Wimp that is shallower than thedistance between the rails, means on the table coacting with the railmember for detachably supporting the auxiliary rail on the table; and aremovable stop member mounted on said table between said rails andextending angularly relative thereto at an angle corresponding to theangle of the second bend formed in a rod and against which the angularsecond bend is adapted to abut to arrest shitting movement of a rod inthe opposite direction so as to hold a rod against lengthwise shiftingmovement during the formation of subsequent bends in the rod.

PATRICK J. CO'I'IER.

MARCY DONOFRIO.

